Elgar Research Agendas outline the future of research in a given area. Leading scholars are given the space to explore their subject in provocative ways, and map out the potential directions of travel. They are relevant but also visionary. Illuminating the global food system as a highly dynamic set of interconnecting interests and sub-systems that drives rapid technological, societal, and cultural change, this cutting-edge Research Agenda examines the pressing issues that confront food systems, and the emerging responses to them. Chapters from internationally renowned specialists address the pressing issues facing food systems, including the growing concentration and power of large agri-food corporations, the contribution of food production to climate breakdown, the exploitation of agricultural labour, food poverty, and the reconfiguration of animal bodies. Reviewing possible 'solutions' chapters then examine the potential for a digital agricultural revolution, the contribution of alternative proteins in dietary change, and the emergence of regionalized and regenerative food systems. The book concludes with a look towards hybrid foodscapes, exploring how design can help us to re-imagine our stake in food systems of the future. Interdisciplinary, holistic, and accessible in its approach, this innovative book will prove vital to students and scholars engaged in the study of food - from production to consumption - as well as those concerned with policymaking in the fields of public health and nutrition, food governance, sustainability, and environmental advocacy.

Offering conceptual, empirical and policy contributions from leading international scholars in the field, this comprehensive Handbook investigates a broad range of innovations and new approaches to tourism aimed at enhancing sustainability. Examining the ongoing competitiveness that exists in 21st Century tourism within a global market environment, chapters expand the debate on how innovation can tackle current challenges including providing clean energy and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. With climate change and environmental degradation intensifying, this Handbook reviews the urgent system changes needed, as well as considering social dimensions in order to provide cohesion between innovation and tourism. Furthermore, it highlights the important role of policy and governance to allow collective action for the public good while paying greater attention to human values. Researchers and scholars of tourism studies, including tourism management and tourism geography, will find the suggested innovations and debates informative and illustrative. This innovative Handbook will also be an excellent guide for practitioners and policy-makers embedding new and improved 'ways of doing' to promote and provide for sustainable tourism.

This crucial Handbook investigates an urgent area for policy-makers, academia and industries alike: the circular economy. International experts on the subject bring together the latest thinking on this critical global issue. Providing a comprehensive overview of the mechanisms and consequences of the circular economy, as well as its limitations, it raises important questions concerning how the world should proceed when non-renewable resources, such as fossil fuels and minerals, are being depleted and the environment is struggling to cope with the waste and emissions of unsustainable production and consumption systems. Contributors explore a broad range of themes, such as new sustainable production and consumption systems, new design requirements, recycling systems, new business models and the social impacts of the circular economy, while also consolidating the many ways in which the topic has been dealt with in research, business and policy-making. Shedding light on a concept that has become increasingly relevant during the last decade, the Handbook of the Circular Economy is essential reading for students, academics and policy-makers trying to make sense of the plethora of ways in which the term has been applied and interpreted.

This cutting-edge Research Agenda demonstrates how social network analysis can be used to address problems of social resilience and advance knowledge and policy intervention in the face of the existential crises that threaten our contemporary societies. Highlighting the role of social networks in supporting social resilience, contributions from experienced and innovative thinkers across the social sciences encourage readers to think in network terms about issues of social change and survival in situations of vulnerability. Chapters apply innovative social network thinking and analyses to a diverse range of existential societal challenges, including marginalized communities, emerging labour markets, governments, food systems, educational establishments, online social media, and the environment. The book further advances critical research frontiers that will inform the building of more resilient societies and ecosystems and ultimately strengthen our capacity to project ourselves into the future. Combining network-based critical analysis with in-depth knowledge of policy design and intervention, this dynamic Research Agenda will be an essential tool for postgraduate students carrying out research in the social sciences. Its provision of state-of-the-art research agendas in eighteen vital domains of social life will benefit analysts and consultants designing, implementing, and evaluating policy in these areas.

Economic issues arise in almost every water policy context. Water is of most concern when scarce, but physical scarcity is often overcome as human beings move water from place to place, sometimes creating monumental structures. The roles that cost and economic value play in water resource allocation are implicit, but often poorly understood. This second edition clarifies the role of economics and offers material that can be applied to water resource allocation problems around the world. Topics covered include: groundwater, floods and droughts, in situ uses of water, and institutions and law. New to the book is an exploration of water issues outside the United States as well as a new application of behavioral and experimental economics to the topic. A concise introduction to issues of water quality and quantity in both urban and agricultural settings, Water Resource Economics and Policy will be a valuable resource or text for students and researchers in the fields of agricultural economics, geography, law, and hydrology. Those involved in water resource agencies and private utilities will also find the book a useful reference. Acclaim for the first edition: 'This textbook is written for first-year graduate students and senior level undergraduates in economics. ... Graduate students in geography, water resources, and environmental management should also be interested. The well-done helpful diagrams and charts are those expected for a textbook in economics at this level. In every chapter many interesting real-world examples illustrate the concept being discussed. Some chapters have easy-to-read case studies set off from the text. ... I plan on keeping this excellent book as a shelf reference and would willingly adopt it for a class in water resource economics.' - Donald E. Agthe, Journal of the American Water Resources Association 'This is a much-needed book, which introduces the interested reader to the economics of water resource allocation, and analyzes relevant policy issues derived from all over the world. To the best of my knowledge, this is the first book which is focused on communicating the basic economic concepts that govern water resources allocation. ... The lively writing style of W. Douglass Shaw, which is enriched with excellent examples and case studies from various countries, makes this book an obvious choice for a textbook in relevant courses ... this excellent book should be a compulsory reading for all of us who work in the field of water resources management.' - Phoebe Koundouri, Ecological Economics

Evaluating the myriad dimensions of how disasters can affect economic activity and decision-making, this cutting-edge Handbook presents a timely analysis of the conditions that reduce or exacerbate disaster impacts. Addressing developments in research on disaster economics, internationally recognized scholars explore the role of both the private and public sectors in managing and mitigating disasters. Chapters discuss important theoretical considerations in the evaluation of the impacts of disasters on economic activity, including the behavioral consequences, biases and heuristics, and risk preferences. Delving deeper into disaster economics, the Handbook then presents empirical methods and applications used in modelling disaster impact evaluation, with research focusing on impacts on economic growth, government fiscal and social conditions, well-being, and migration. Informed by the latest research on the economics of pandemics, the Handbook concludes by presenting novel approaches to evaluating and improving risk management, resilience, recovery and adaptability in the face of disasters. A valuable resource for conducting research, this Handbook will prove vital to students and scholars of developmental and environmental economics. Providing a broad range of guidance from disaster response experts, it will also prove useful to practitioners and policymakers concerned with the economics of disasters.

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Advanced Introduction to Water Economics and Policy highlights various aspects of economic and policy considerations as they are applied to water decision-making and evaluation in a comprehensive and clear manner. Key Features: Presents example-based simplified descriptions of water problems and economic principles used to address them Provides examples from different countries and analysis of main water-using sectors Highlights emerging topics in water economics that address water scarcity and discusses economic and policy aspects related to the management of water at local, regional and international scales Researchers and students will appreciate the comprehensive, straightforward presentation of critical information in this Advanced Introduction that does not get lost in technical jargon.

This thought-provoking book explores how the global ecological crisis profoundly challenges conventional meanings of environmental security and raises important questions about how states and other institutions now face the future. Simon Dalby provides unique insights into the traditional search for security in terms of using firepower to dominate states and environments, and how this is now endangering people across the globe. Whereas earlier concerns about nuclear firepower focused on the security dilemmas it posed, Dalby offers a new perspective into the existential threats to civilization presented by the combustion of fossil fuels. Propounding that the constraint of firepower in both senses is now key to a flourishing human future, the book calls for international relations scholars to rethink many of the central premises in the field and formulate new policies that focus on the necessity of ecological flourishing to provide meaningful security in a climate disrupted world. Visionary and inspiring, Rethinking Environmental Security will be a critical read for scholars and students of international relations, climate change, environmental governance and regulation, and political geography and geopolitics. Its novel ideas will also be beneficial for policy makers and practitioners in these fields.

This comprehensive guide provides readers with strategies for teaching Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in all its forms, whether through formal university programmes or in the form of short courses offered to professionals and practitioners. Featuring contributions from 39 university teachers and short course trainers, the centerpiece of the book is the suite of 37 recipes for teaching different aspects of EIA. This internationally relevant resource collectively embodies and applies the best practice principles for teaching EIA, developed through a two-year research project with input from a diverse group of international experts. It provides practical and innovative learning activities with complete instructions for successful delivery, and thus represents a truly comprehensive and up-to-date contribution to the field. This latest contribution to our Elgar Guides to Teaching series serves as both a basis for reflection upon curricula and teaching practices, and as a source of inspiration for learning activities that can be adopted and adapted for different contexts by EIA teachers and trainers. It will be a valuable resource to help both new and seasoned EIA educators expand their toolbox in order to teach EIA more effectively.

This book describes the sustainable development journey of 15 business families committed to using their enterprises as a force of societal good. In turn, each family reaps benefits of high economic returns, while contributing to society and environment. The youngest family firm is in its 20s, while there are others over 100 years of age. Size, industry, locations vary. But all these business families share a deep shared commitment towards sustainable development, control over strategic decision-making in their firms and trans-generational continuity intentions. Family values embed their enterprises with a strong sense of purpose to achieve their chosen sustainable development goals. Professionalized systems and processes foster the development of capabilities, and partnerships with a variety of stakeholders ensure the simultaneous achievement of social, environmental and profitability goals. Educators, students, policy makers and business families interested in sustainable development will find new understanding of family business through Pioneering Family Firms' Sustainable Development Strategies.

Featuring real world examples of how risk information affects public choices, The Economics of Environmental Risk expertly demonstrates that policymakers need to consider how people learn about those risks. Offering insights into examples such as hazardous waste, radon, smoking, hurricanes and terrorist threats over the past four decades, this intuitive book illustrates environmental risks and the choices made to mitigate the potential effects. Providing a deep dive into how public policies and information affect private choices, this book highlights the successes and failings of these choices, recognising how decisions made can have an influence on the hazards that are faced. It also focuses on important lessons to be learnt by officials providing information on risk and designing policies for managing them. Further consideration is also given to how experts understand these risks and how the public interprets the information provided. Scholars and students of public policy, risk analysis and environmental and resource economics will value the useful examples found in this informative volume. Policymakers in risk and insurance, and risk management programs will also find this an instructive guide on the ever-changing environmental risks we face.

The concept of international climate finance channelled from developed to developing countries through public interventions for mitigation and adaptation has been developed over the last decade, but its roots date back to the early 1990s. Despite the high relevance of the topic in the international climate negotiations, illustrated by the (missed) target to mobilise USD 100 billion by 2020, there is no book that provides an overview accessible to academics and practitioners alike. This comprehensive Handbook of International Climate Finance closes this gap, with contributions from expert researchers and practitioners involved in key climate finance institutions. Chapters assess past approaches to international climate finance, discuss the effectiveness of different channels for climate finance, debate challenges encountered and elucidate national strategies of donors and recipients. An important section elaborates perspectives for sources of international climate finance from multilateral channels, the private sector, and blending of finance including through international carbon markets. The Handbook further elaborates perspectives on ownership and accountability and the role of the private sector. Mapping out pathways for the future, it concludes by providing a vision for international climate finance after 2025. This forward-thinking Handbook will be a critical resource for scholars and students with an interest in climate change and related policies and environmental politics, policy, and economics more broadly. It provides key input for international climate negotiators, climate activists and international climate finance institutions.

Exploring themes associated with corruption, sustainable development, and human rights and security, Robert J. Hanlon considers the political dynamics of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within the context of the 'Asian Century' and its place in an increasingly multipolar world. By assessing how social responsibility is changing the discourse around trade, development and diplomacy, Hanlon sheds light on how competing visions of social responsibility are influencing political narratives in China and the West, examining multipolarity, the construction of Global China, and the ascent of competitive pluralism. Chapters argue that the liberal economic order founded at Bretton Woods is wavering with Western governments and multinational corporations who are seeking new strategies to compete against China, especially in emerging economies known for weak governance structures and dysfunctional rule of law. As CSR emerges as a political tool for states and business actors, this timely book adopts a human security approach for assessing the weaponization of political values within an increasingly fragmented rule-based liberal order. Expanding on the themes of constructivism, competitive pluralism and progressive neoliberalism, while introducing the novel concept of developmental CSR, this forward-thinking book will prove a vital resource for students, scholars and policymakers interested in Asian politics, public policy, CSR and international relations.

Waste Biorefineries: Advanced Design Concepts for Integrated Waste to Energy Processes presents a detailed guide to the design of energy-efficient and cost-effective waste-integrated biorefineries. Integrating thermochemical processing of waste with existing waste-to-energy technologies, the book includes the latest developments and technologies. It introduces current waste valorization techniques and examines reasons to modify existing waste-to-energy systems through the integration of new processes. In addition, the book explains the design of novel biorefineries and methods to assess these processes alongside detailed results, including the integration of waste-based CHP plants with waste gasification and the integration of pyrolysis technologies and biogas plants with waste thermochemical processing. Other sections discuss the issues and challenges of commercializing waste-to-energy technologies, including uncertainty in waste thermochemical process designs, the environmental impact of waste-integrated biorefineries, and the role of integrated waste-to-energy management in smart cities and urban energy systems. This book will be an invaluable reference for students, researchers and those in industry who are interested in the design and implementation of waste-to-energy systems, waste biomass-based combined heat and power plants, biogas plants and forest-based industries.

Utilizing a governmentality lens, this timely book offers an explanation for China's decarbonization performance in the early 21st century. Le-Yin Zhang investigates one of the most ambitious governing projects in history, analyzing the political rationalities of Chinese leaders for decarbonization and the governing techniques and technologies at multiple levels of governance. Demonstrating the potential of combining the use of juridical, administrative and governmental powers, Zhang holistically considers the success of the state in instigating low-carbon transitions in China and mitigating climate disaster. The book provides an in-depth exploration of the art of greening the Chinese financial system and how this links to a wider formulation of carbon governmentality, highlighting the rise of the carbon governmental state through a range of governmental technologies. Engaging with a wide range of primary data from both national and local levels, the author uncovers profound lessons in low-carbon transitions for other states in the making of a carbon neutral world. This cutting-edge book offers key insights for scholars and researchers of environmental governance and its importance in mitigating climate change, particularly those with a key focus on Chinese climate policy. It will also benefit government officials, researchers and consultants investigating potential avenues for low-carbon transition and climate action.

Sustainable entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial ecosystems research is ever evolving and this timely book stimulates further exploration, offering a research agenda and alternative approaches. Presenting new scientific evidence together with policy and other practical implications, chapters demonstrate the vibrancy and diversity of approaches in the field. Chapters on sustainable entrepreneurship analyse the circular economy, entrepreneurial decision-making logics, the drivers of eco-process innovations and strategic sustainability decision-making. Entrepreneurial ecosystems are investigated through discussion of different ecosystem orientations as factors influencing entrepreneurial behaviour. This thought-provoking book concludes with consideration of the conditions predicting entrepreneurial activity or behaviour, including family background and the growth of social and commercial SMEs. This book's up-to-date analysis and practical insight will prove invaluable to scholars and researchers in entrepreneurship as well as other business and management academics, policy-makers and practitioners.

Exploring the need for a sustainable transport paradigm, which has been sought after by local and national authorities internationally over the last 30 years, this illuminating and timely Handbook offers insights into how this can be secured more broadly and what it may involve, as well as the challenges that the sustainable transport approach faces. Drawing on a wide range of research and relevant case studies that showcase where the principles of sustainable transport have been, or could be, implemented, the Handbook offers readers a holistic understanding of the paradigm. Contributions showcase the evidence of the continued need for a sustainable transport approach, analyse its core principles, and, finally, discuss what it will take to achieve implementation, considering aspects such as behaviour change, accessibility, governance and politics. Offering a comprehensive overview across the many dimensions of sustainable transport, this Handbook will be an indispensable resource for transport, planning and urban studies scholars. It will also be a useful guide for planners and policy makers looking for advice to advance future practice.

Economics of the Environment, Seventh Edition is a compendium of the best, most timely articles by a dream team of environmental economists, together with an original introductory chapter by the editor. Now in its seventh edition, Economics of the Environment serves as a valuable supplement to environmental economics text books and as a stand-alone reference book of key, up-to-date readings from the field. Edited by Robert N. Stavins, the book covers the core areas of environmental economics courses as taught around the world; and the included authors are the top scholars in the field. Overall, more than half of the chapters are new to this edition while the rest have remained seminal works. This text will prove invaluable to undergraduates and graduates studying environmental economics, environmental policy, and climate change policy. Economics of the Environment will also be a vital resource to practitioners in government, private industry, and advocacy groups and other NGOs working on environmental policy. Contributors include: J. Aldy, D. Bodansky, S. Borenstein, T.A. Cameron, R. Carson, T. Covert, M. Cropper, A. Dechezlepretre, G. Eads, K. Fisher-Vanden, M. Freeman, D. Fullerton, S. Gaines, T. Gayer, T. Gerardon, M. Greenstone, C. Gollier, L. Goulder, B. Groom, R. Hahn, J. Hausman, G. Heal, S. Hoedl, K. Jack, C. Kling, C. Knittel, A. KrupnickIan Parry, E. Maskin, G. Metcalf, R. Newell, R. Noll, W. Nordhaus, S. Olmstead, D. Phaneuf, R. Pindyck, W. Pizer, P. Portney, D. Raimi, F. Reinhardt, L. Reisch, M. Russell, M. Sandel, M. Sato, R. Schmalensee, S. Shavell, J. Shogren, K. Smith, N. Stern, T. Sterner, C. Sunstein, C. Taylor, L. Taylor, R. Tol, K. Viscusi, M. Weitzman, J. Zhao

Elgar Advanced Introductions are stimulating and thoughtful introductions to major fields in the social sciences, business and law, expertly written by the world's leading scholars. Designed to be accessible yet rigorous, they offer concise and lucid surveys of the substantive and policy issues associated with discrete subject areas. Advanced Introduction to Water Economics and Policy highlights various aspects of economic and policy considerations as they are applied to water decision-making and evaluation in a comprehensive and clear manner. Key Features: Presents example-based simplified descriptions of water problems and economic principles used to address them Provides examples from different countries and analysis of main water-using sectors Highlights emerging topics in water economics that address water scarcity and discusses economic and policy aspects related to the management of water at local, regional and international scales Researchers and students will appreciate the comprehensive, straightforward presentation of critical information in this Advanced Introduction that does not get lost in technical jargon.

Transportation issues are often too complicated to be addressed by conventional parametric methods. Increasing data availability and recent advancements in machine learning provide new methods to tackle the challenging transportation problems. Readers will learn how to develop and apply different types of machine learning models to transportation related problems. Example applications include transportation data generations, traffic sensing, transportation mode recognition, transportation system management and control, traffic flow prediction, and traffic safety analysis.

Progress in Sustainable Development: Sustainable Engineering Practices provides readers with the latest research and best practices in sustainable engineering in the fields of urban, environmental, energy and sustainability sciences, reflecting a focus on state-of-the art insights and the latest developments. Chapters focus on the key engineering principles of effective resource use, reduction of excess waste, and taking advantage of natural resources to equip readers with the background information and practical considerations of successful implementations of sustainable technical solutions. Each chapter features detailed case studies and figures showing real-world applications of the latest technologies, ensuring they are reproduceable by the reader. The multidisciplinary chapters include environmentally-friendly technologies and the application of novel initiatives in engineering for infrastructure, renewable energy generation, advanced materials and waste, among other areas, with a strong emphasis on sustainability and conservation of resources.

Since Garrett Hardin published 'The Tragedy of the Commons' in 1968, critics have argued that population growth and capitalism contribute to overuse of natural resources and degradation of the global environment. They propose coercive, state-centric solutions. This book offers an alternative view. Employing insights from new institutional economics, the authors argue that property rights, competitive markets, polycentric political institutions, and social institutions such as trust, patience and individualism enable society to conserve natural resources and mitigate harms to the global environment. The authors support their argument by considering several types of commons: forests, fisheries, minerals, and the global environment. The central lesson of these empirical studies is that following a simple set of rules - definition and enforcement of property rights in response to local conditions, creating and maintaining democracy at the local level, and establishing markets to allocate resources - improves ecological and environmental sustainability. This book will appeal to scholars of natural resources, economics, political science and public policy as well as policymakers who are interested in environmental governance and the ways markets contribute to sustainability.

Copper Nanostructures: Next-Generation of Agrochemicals for Sustainable Agroecosystems considers the impact of copper-based nanostructures on agri-food sectors. Sections highlight the green synthesis of copper nanoparticles, production mechanisms, eco-safety, and future perspectives, discuss the increasing importance of copper nanomaterials in plant protection applications, describe the use of copper nanostructures in plant science applications, cover antimicrobial applications, explore copper nanostructure applications, and summarize current applications in agroecosystems, such as copper nanoparticles as nanosensors, their negative ecological effects, estimation risks, and more.

Discussing how intellectual property (IP) rights play a role in tackling the challenge of securing sustainable development, renowned scholars consider how the core objective of IP rights to promote innovation and development of new knowledge aligns with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This authoritative book provides an in-depth analysis of the multi-faceted interface between this core objective and the SDGs. Chapters analyse selected interrelations between IP law and other areas of law, including energy and financial law. Contributors explore the dimension of social development through timely examples such as the global solar photovoltaic market, the trend towards reusing and recycling, and the digital distribution of news services. This thought-provoking book argues for sustainable markets as an overreaching and contextual approach to the role of IP rights in tackling the challenges of the UN SDGs. Taking a market-based approach to IP rights and the SDGs, this engaging book will be of value to students and scholars of intellectual property and environmental law, as well as policymakers, practitioners and NGOs concerned with corporate social and environmental responsibility.